Water heater



Junel20, 1939. A. M. HART ATER HEATER Filed-Reb. 25. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 20, 1939-` A. M..HART l 2,163,199

l 7 WATER HEATER v FiledFeb. `25. 19s? 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

June 20, 1939. A. M. HART um: umana Filed Feb. 25, 19:57

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT OR.

Patented .1m26.193s i UNITED STAT-Es PATENT ori-ica wam unam l Arthur M. Hart, Iakewood, Ohio Application February z5. 1931, Serial No. 121,193

s mais. (01.12%250) A' I lhis invention relates to water heaters, which areespecially adapted for domestic use.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a water heater which is more eiilcient and 5 economical than devices of this character now in general use. A more specific object of the invention is the provisionof improved means for extracting a maximum of heat from the products of combus- 10 tion and then applying itto the water to be heated.

These objects are accomplished by providing novel and efficient' means, for absorbing vheat from the products of combustion while the burner l5 -is burning, and then applying this heat to the water to be heated after the burner has been extinguished.

'Ihey are also accomplished by providing a coil through which water is circulated, together 90 with means for applying heat directly to the coil in combination with means for radiating heat against the coll and meansA for reflecting heat thereagainst. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a g5 self-contained water heater adapted for use with a small hot water heating system..

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which is of simple construction and easily and cheaply so manufactured.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specication and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sec- 35 tion through one embodiment of my, invention showing it applied to a domestic hot water boiler; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rearl elevation of one of the heat absorbing and radiating elements; Fig.- 4 40 is a vertical sectional view through another form of my invention, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the linevS-i of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, I indicates a domestic hot water storage boiler or reservoir of 45 standard construction, having a cold water intake 2 and a hot water discharge I. A heating coil 4 has its lower end i attached to the boiler I near the lower end thereof and its upper end 6 attached to the boiler near the upper end 50 thereof. As the coil is heated, water iscirculated from the lower part' of the boiler. upwardly through thecoil and into the upper part of the boiler.

' A casing 1, having a removable cover l en- 55 closes the coil 4.. A covering of asbestos orsimiv lar heat insulating material is indicated at l. 'Ihe numeral Il indicates. generally, a `gas burner which is secured-to the lower end of .the casing.

and forms a closure therefor. The burner Il l has acentral openingII, a circiuar'row o! jets valve I'I.

I2 and the usual mixing chamber I2. An annular flange I4 formed .integral with the burner body, provides convenient means for securing the burner to the bottom of the casing 1, in the proper position with respect thereto. A plurality of holes I5 in the flange I4v provide means additional to the 'opening II for the intake o! air necessary to vsupport combustion. Gas is supplied to the burner IB by a supply pipe Il, and it is controlled bye. thermostatically operated 10 l The valve I1 which maybe of any standard construction is controlled by a thermostat I8 in the boiler I.. A pilot light for the burner I0 is indicated at I9.

Supported by the burner II), in a cylindrical l5 recess in the upper face thereof, and extending upwardly therefrom withinthe connes of the coil 4, is a heat absorbingand radiating member generally indicated by the numeral 2l The member 2| is made up of a plurality of 20 similar units 22. The units 22 are formed of l material having high heat absorbing and. radiating qualities.

It has been found by experiment that various 'types of refractory material v possess these characteristics and are suitable for 35 21 in inwardly extending annular webs 28 on the 35 units 22. A cylinder 29 having a highly polished outer face extends between the plates 24 and 25 within the units 22. A bolt 30 holds the parts 22 to 29 together to form a removable cylinder, as shown. The cylinder 29 may be made of stain- 40 less steel which has a highly polished surface, or if desired, it may be made of other material and have its outer surface chromium plated to provide a highly polished surface.

A highly polished surface is provided in a like manner on the inner face of the casing 1.

Each of the units 22 has a slot II formed therein, below the lower web 2l, to admit air to the jets I2. The slots 3| are of such size that in combination with the opening I5,-they w ill admit sufilcient air to support lcomplete combustion of the f gas discharged by the jets I2.

A plurality of slots 32 are formed in each unit 22 between the upper and lower webs 2l thereof.

An annular flange 33 extends outwardly from 55 the upper end of the member 2I into engagement with the c'oil 4.

The iets' I2, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1

and 2, are positioned to discharge gas upwardly into the space the member 2l and the .o

coil 4. As this discharged gas is burned, the flame will come in contact with the lower portion of the coil 4 and the member 2l. heat the coil 4, and the water being circulated therethrough directly, and it will also heat the lower end of'the member 2l directly. The products of combustion traveling upwardly will further heat the coil 4 and member 2| by directcontact. The member 2i will absorb most of the heat from the gases coming in contact with it, and the projections 23 will become incandescent. It will then radiate heat outwardly against the coil 4. It will also radiate heat inwardly against the highly polished outer face of the cylinder 23 which will reiiect it outwardly through the slots with the highly polished inner face of the casing 'I will he reected inwardly against the coil 4. The

annular iiange 33 on the upper end of the member 2i. insures a better circulation of hot gases around the member 2i and the coil 4. Theburned gases are discharged `through a ilue above the ange 33. A baille 36 is placed in iront ofthe iiue 35 to. cause the gases to travel upwardly the entire height of the coil 4 and then downwardly before being discharged.

f By this arrangement and construction lof the various parts, novel means is provided for utiliz- `ing the maximum amount of heat generated by the burner Il. Consequently the gases discharged by the \ilue Il are relativelycool, since .the majority of the heat umts have been extracted therefrom.

When the water in theboiler or. reservoir I reaches a certain predetermined temperature, the thermostat I8 will operate the valve I1 to cut oil' the supply ofggas to theburner III; but the member 2l having been heated to a high temperature will continue to heat the coil 4, and

the water therein, byA radiation until it cools. When the ywater in the boiler drops below a certain predetermined temperature, the thermostat It will operate the valve I1 to again supply gas tothe burner Il, which will be ignited from the Pilot Il.

Figs. 4 and15 illustrate a modification .of my invention which is capable of performing all the functions oi the form shown inv Figs. 1, 2 and 3 end o! the boiler I'L Vand its upper end t* in com- 'A -munication withl the upper end of the boiler I".

-A burner :Ile is mounted in the lower end o! the casing and forms -a closure therefor and the upper end of the casing is closed by a removable cover Il. l* indicates a covering of insulating material. vThe burner Il is similar to the burneril, having a central opening II, jets Ile, mixing chamber II and an annular ilange I4* having a Thiswill.

boiler s piioirburner is indicated at l. The cold water intake to thevboiler I* is indicated at ze and une netware: butler ic indicated 'at 32. Avdischarge ilue forburned gases is indicated at 3l* and a baille. similar tothe baille 36, is indicated at 341. A

In this form a heat absorbing and radiating member 2|* surrounds the lower end Vof the coil 4*. `An inwardly extending annular ilange 33 on the upper end nl.' the member 2i* bridges the -space between the casing 'is and the coil 4.

The member 2l* is composed oi a plurality of units 22", each having a plurality. of projections 23* formed integral therewith and extending toward the coil 4*. These projections are similar to and serve the same purpose as the projections -23 on the member 2i.

The operation of this form of my invention is the same as the operation ot the form illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, and need not be described further.

From the foregoing, it win be seen that 1 have provided novel, efvllcient and economical means for accomplishingthe objects oi my .inventio enumerated herein. A i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. In adevice of the character described, the combination oi a coil. a burner for heating said coil directly. means for heating said coil indirecty 1y from said burner; said means comprising s n element extending upwardly in spaced relation to said coil and having high heat absorbing and radiating qualities, a plurality of slots in said element. a reilector positioned to reect heat, radiated thereagainst from said element, outwardly against said coil. a casing surrounding said means and said coil, a reservoir and conreservoir.

2. In a device bf me sind awaited, the omlbination oi a casing, a vertical coil therein, a gas burner in the casing and imder the lower end of said coil. and a cylindricalelement extending Vvertically beside and concentric with the coil and spaced at all sides therefrom, said element comprising material'oi' the radiant type having high heat absorbing and radiating qualities and provided with a pluralityI o! projections vextending toward the coil, and into the, path of the flames. for absorbing and radiating the heat. the burner comprisinga ring with gas jets directedupwurdiyinto` the spacebetweenlthe coil and the said element, tovdirectly heat the coil .and said element bycontact therewith o! the llames trom the burner, and av flange at the top o! said element extending across the top ofthe saidspace.

The combination mud in ciaun 2, the may element extending vertically within the coil.

5. In a device of the character described. the

combination of acoil. a burner-for heating said coil directly, means surrounding said coIl and asr sociated with said burner for absorbing heat from sciabiirne'r andndimitudnstnid cada reservoir surrounding said rneansland laideoil. and connections between the ends otsaideoll an ysaid' reservoir. 

